Wednesday, 8th—General Townsend, of General Halleck’s staff, from Washington, D. C., made a speech to the Sixth Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps today, on the question of arming the colored men. He urged loyal men to accept commissions as officers in colored regiments. General McArthur, commander of our division, spoke also, and the boys cheered them a great deal. Steps were taken to raise two regiments of colored troops at this place and give them arms. The Fifteenth Iowa received their pay today.
Downing’s Civil War Diary.–Alexander G. Downing.
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